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Liverpool have been dealt a blow in their bid to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund next summer, according to reports.
The England international is expected to depart Signal Iduna Park at the end of this season, by which point he will have been with the German giants for three years.
Liverpool (opens in new tab) were previously thought to be at the front of the queue for the midfielder’s signature, but that may no longer be the case.
According to Goal (opens in new tab), Bellingham would prefer to join Real Madrid (opens in new tab) than move to Anfield ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
Madrid are set to make the 19-year-old their primary transfer target next year, having dropped out of the race to sign Enzo Fernandez, who looks set to sign for Chelsea (opens in new tab) in the winter window.
And Bellingham has reportedly informed his representatives that his intention is to move to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
The former Birmingham man, who is valued at £97.3m by Transfermarkt (opens in new tab), is prepared to snub an offer from Liverpool in order to realise his dream of turning out for Madrid, the current European champions.
The Reds may therefore need to seek alternatives to Bellingham as they prepare to refresh midfield.
Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Thiago Alcantara are all the wrong side of 30, while Fabinho will reach that milestone birthday next year and loanee Arthur Melo is set to return to Juventus (opens in new tab) in the summer.
Jurgen Klopp’s side, who currently sit sixth in the Premier League table (opens in new tab), will return to action against Leicester (opens in new tab) on Friday.
More Liverpool stories
It has been revealed that Virgil van Dijk played a key role (opens in new tab) in convincing Cody Gakpo, his Netherlands team-mate, to join Liverpool.
Liverpool and Tottenham could go head-to-head (opens in new tab) for Sofyan Amrabat, who starred for Morocco at World Cup 2022.
And the Reds are in a four-way race to sign Alexis Mac Allister, with three European sides also keen on the Brighton man (opens in new tab).
